Twisted Sister
by Emeilia-Rose
Summary: Family can be difficult, but seeing that it is your family, you have no other option than to deal with them. A slightly AU fic with Jibbs!
1. Chapter One Confessing

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters, wish I did. **

**A/N: This is an AU story based somewhat off of the Episode Twisted Sister. It takes place in Season 5 (My favorite of all the seasons) I have the next chapter done so review and I'll post it. Enjoy!!**

**-Tori**

_**Chapter One: Confessing**_

"What can I get you miss?" A middle aged bar tender asked from behind the counter; his hands poised above the glasses waiting to reach for some fruity concoction he expected the woman who approached to order.

"Bourbon, neat." She replied in with a smile.

He raised an eyebrow, shocked at her order. She only raised one higher; daring him to ask her about it. He didn't take that dare.

Her drink was placed in front of her as she sat down on a bar stool. She sipped at it slowly, checking her watch after a minute, and again a minute later.

"Something I can help you with miss?" The bartender asked noticing the way she seemed to fidget.

"No thanks, I'm just waiting on someone." The woman answered hoping to get this bartender to back off. He nodded and went back to his other patrons. She was nervous, she had gotten herself into a bit of trouble, and now she was expecting someone else to bail her out.

A half an hour later and still no sign of her friend, and another drink was ordered; this one, just like the last one, only half full. Full glass or not, she needed all the Dutch courage she could get.

Another person slipped onto the seat beside her.

_Finally! _She thought.

"What took you so long; I called you over an hour ago." She was impatient, always was, always will be.

"I do have to work, you know that." The visitor said after ordering the same drink as her.

"Yeah…" She said uncomfortably.

"So, what's wrong?"

"I think I might have a problem." She stared into her drink avoiding the scrutinizing eyes of the new arrival.

"And that problem would be…..?" The visitor questioned, but was only answered by silence on her part. "Andrea, what is the problem?!" The visitor asked again more forcefully this time.

"Jenny, I think I might have killed someone." Andrea said looking over to her sister.

**A/N: AHA! You thought it was Jenny in the bar at first didn't you? Well I got you! **


	2. Chapter Two Finding The Director

_**Chapter Two: Finding The Director**_

"Boss, can we go home yet?" Tony said in his whiniest voice, but was only met with a glare.

Ziva looked over at her Boss than back to her partner as if to ask 'Can I slap him yet?' And Gibbs just gave a nod to approve her wish.

She head slapped Tony and returned her attention back to the plasma screen.

"We are NOT going home until we find the Director. Is that clear DiNozzo?" Gibbs bellowed at his team; the only ones left in the squad room.

Tony muttered a 'Crystal Boss' and lowered his head in defeat. He really didn't see what the problem was, Director Shepard always went off without her detail, and was always fine. She was a good agent, and even though she had moved up in the chain of command, she could still take care of herself; she had proved it when Brian Dempsey kidnapped her. And Tony seriously doubted she'd need to use any of that skill tonight; her cell phone tracker showed she was at a bar.

Gibbs grabbed his gun and badge and headed towards the elevator and when Tony Ziva and McGee got up to follow he turned around.

"Sit." And they did. "Good, now stay."

He left the squad room and three very frustrated agents behind.

"Why can't we just go home?" Tony said sinking into his chair with huff. Ziva and McGee shot him a look, begging- no -threatening him to shut up. But, like normal he ignored them and kept going.

"She is an Agency Director, but she is also a woman. Come on guys, She is probably just meeting a guy!" He said pausing for a moment to imagine their Director fulfilling the needs that a woman felt.

"Tony!" Ziva exclaimed when she realized what her partner was thinking.

"What I just don't get is why WE have to stay here just 'cause Gibbs is jealous." He said shaking his head.

"Gibbs is not jealous Tony, he is just worried about the Director; she's not answering her phone." McGee chimed in.

"Would you answer the phone if your Ex was calling you and you were out getting some?" Tony said, glad that nobody was around to head slap him.

"Well…..no…" Tim said mulling over the idea.

"Now just imagine your Ex was Gibbs." He said eliciting a mutual shudder from the others.

"You do not know that they were together. Never assume anything, yes?" Ziva said rounding her desk and stopping in front of Tony.

"No…….. but you know." Tony said eyeing her wearily; finally figuring out that she was merely covering for The Director.

She glared back at him.

"Gibbs says nothing happened, and I haven't heard The Director talk about it." McGee said trying to defuse the situation.

"Gibbs doesn't say anything. Plus, have you forgotten about rule number Three?" DiNozzo said snapping at the geeky agent.

"Always wear gloves at a crime scene?" McGee asked confused.

"No Mc-know-nothing! That is rule number two!" He said shooting the other man a 'Duh' glare.

"Then what is number Three?" Ziva asked.

"Don't believe what your told; Double check." A voice from behind a partition said. All three agents looked over and gulped at the sight of The Director; looking VERY mad.

A woman was standing next to her; she looked very similar to Jen. She had light brown hair that hovered at her shoulder in soft waves. Her skin tone was fair like Jenny's and she had the same faint freckles.

Tony plastered on his famous 'DiNozzo Charm' and stood up to greet the woman. "Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo at your service, but, you can call me Tony." She shook his outstretched hand.

Ziva and McGee followed suit in introducing themselves, though not as enthusiastically. Jen just stood by waiting for the formalities to finish; she had bigger problems to deal with than worrying about good manners.

"Hi, I'm Andrea Shepard." The woman said, and when she realized they were waiting to know why she was there, and why she looked so familiar she added on. " I'm Jenny's younger sister."

Tony smirked, this was great! Jenny had a sister, who was pretty, and wouldn't get him in trouble with one Leroy Jethro Gibbs. But the look that The Director sent him made him sure that Gibbs shouldn't be who he was worrying about.

"You can all go home," Jen said over her shoulder as she ushered Andrea up the stairs to her office.

"Umm…..Director?" McGee said nervously.

"Yes Tim?"

"Gibbs said we couldn't leave…..until we found you." He fumbled over the words.

"Well I'm here aren't I?" She said raising an eyebrow.

"I think he meant once HE found you." Tony interjected knowing the probie would get them nowhere with his round about way of talking.

"Go home, I'll deal with Gibbs." She said closing off the conversation in a no-nonsense tone. For a moment they stood wondering what to do, deal with Jen's anger now or Gibbs' later? It was a loose-loose situation. But procrastinating the pain was the option they chose as they packed up their stuff and headed out of the building throwing glances back at the catwalk where The Director and her Sister were walking.

In the elevator McGee asked a forgotten question. "Why did the Director's cell say she was at the bar?"

Ziva smiled, Jen was a good agent and obviously didn't want to be bothered by Gibbs….plus cell phones are cheap enough.

"She left it there Probie." Tony said having figured it out much earlier.

McGee just nodded. Sometimes his Bosses could be so juvenile

----

Gibbs pulled into the parking lot of 'Betty-Lou's Tavern'. A few guys outside hovered around their motorcycles and their voices lowered as he exited his car; maybe he wasn't as subtle as he hoped to be, driving at break-neck speeds.

Once inside he looked around, and there was definitely no Jen here. At the bar he was asked what he wanted to drink, and even though a glass of Bourbon sounded good, he needed to find her; what could he say, he _always _trusted his gut, and it was telling him that something was wrong. He shook his head no at the bar tender's question.

Instead he through one back at the man.

"You seen her?" He said holding out a picture of Jenny, the same one that was on her NCIS badge.

The man hesitated before replying. "Nope." Gibbs had no doubt he was lying.

Pulling out his badge, he asked again. Only to get the same response.

"You know if you don't cooperate I can have you arrested for interfering with a Federal investigation?" Well it was partly true; he was a Federal Investigator. But this wasn't an Investigation. _Screw Semantics_ he thought; he was glad Jen had made him look that word up.

"Yeah, now that you mention it, I do remember her. Bourbon, neat. Just like the other woman she was with." The bartender said popping the cap of a beer for someone. "Not the normal type a women we get 'round here. They were lookers though, especially the red-head, in that tight little business suit….." His voice trailed off, his mind picking up where his verbal fantasies stopped.

"Why didn't you tell me this first?" Gibbs growled, ignoring the man's recollection of Jenny's outfit.

"'Cause she paid me a hundred not to." He said matter-of-factly. "They sat over there." He said gesturing with a nod to a corner of the bar that was nestled into the wall. Gibbs walked over to the two stools, lying on the ground was Jen's phone, and on the screen the words 'Sorry Jethro' flashed. He smirked, even when he was madder than hell at her she could still make him smile.

"What did the other woman look like?" He said returning his attention to the other man.

"Just like 'er, only she had brown hair and was maybe a 'lil younger…. Now, can I get back to my bar?" The man said, he was done playing games with this Navy Cop.

Gibbs just nodded and returned to his car, she could run, but she had to return home sometime.

-----

"So who's Gibbs? ....Wasn't he your old partner?" Andrea said running her hands over her sister's hard wood and leather furniture in her office while Jenny was filling her briefcase with reports she planned on doing that night.

"You just told me that you might have killed someone, and you wanna talk about _my_ collogues?" Jen said partly because she _was _worried about her sister, and because she didn't want to talk about Gibbs.

"Geez Jen, can't we catch up a little before you get all Director Shepard on me?" Andrea joked trying to forget about her problem; if only for a little bit.

" Andy! This isn't a game, you could be facing **CRIMINAL CHARGES**, do you understand that?" She raised her voice trying to get through to her sister that this was a serious issue, not something she could brush off like usual.

" Yeah, I……I know." By now Jenny had moved over to comfort her sister who had started to tear up.

"Jenny, I don't remember who I stabbed." Andrea said in a shaky voice as she collapsed into her sister.

**A/n: Let me know what you think!**


	3. Chapter Three Meetings

**A/N: Thank you for the reviews so far and also to the people who alerted and favorited my story. Thank you Alexa (StrawberriL2393) betaing and to Jeanne (Shaneequa) for pushing me to write. :) **

_**Chapter Three: Meetings**_

In the doorway of her guest bedroom she stood watching her sister sleep, or at least try to. After ten minutes she was sure that Andrea had finally fallen asleep. It had taken two hours of comforting, a box of tissues and another drink to get her sister to finally calm down. It had always been that way with her. Everything was fine, until it wasn't, and when it wasn't, all hell broke loose. And the calm, level-headed sister that she was would be there to make it better.

And even though she loved her sister more than anything, she just needed a break. She needed the monotony of paper work, only four hours ago she would do anything to get out of that same paperwork. But now, she was faced with the possibility that her baby sister was a killer, who might go to jail, or even worse, who might live her whole life knowing she hurt someone, and never knowing who that person was.

And though she wanted to just sweep it all under the rug and ignore her sister's claims, she knew that would only make it worse if it was leaked that The Director of NCIS was creating a cover up for her sister. But, she wasn't going to bother with it tonight. In the morning she would talk to Gibbs; as insufferable as that man was, he was her best Agent.

And she would only get the best for Andy.

Down the stairs and into the study she let her body carry her without thinking about it. She passed up the desk and instead opted for the couch, curling up with a pen, files and her reading glasses. She might as well work if she wasn't going to sleep.

Not half way through the first case report someone knocked on her door. She knew who it was and she wanted to do nothing more than ignore him, but he would just keep knocking and wake up Andrea, and she was even worse than Jenny when it came to waking up.

"Yes Jethro?" She said opening the door wide enough to see his face.

"Thought you might want your phone." He said holding it out.

"And this has nothing to do with you coming to yell at me?" She said sarcastically.

"Yea, well maybe." He chuckled. She moved to the side letting him pass her by and head straight to the study. The minute he walked into the softly lit room his eyes fell on the two empty glasses that were resting on her desk.

"Sit down Jethro." She whispered resting into the couch gesturing towards the other seat for him. He knew she only whispered when necessary, and seeing as this was her house, the only thing that would make it necessary would be if someone else was in the house too.

"Who is she?" He asked.

"How do you know there is she?"

"If it was a man, I don't think you'd be down here," He said, and when she gave him a look that told him not to push her right now he added. "And the Bartender said you were with another woman, one who looked just like you."

She shook her head and laughed. "Well maybe I should pay him two hundred next time."

"Yeah well he was won over with the badge and the threat of jail." He joked back. After a minute though, he tried again. "Who is she Jen?"

"My sister." She said nonchalantly.

"And the reason you couldn't meet her in the office? The reason why the team is still in the Bull pen waiting on their runaway Director?" His voice took a serious tone and she realized his gut must be telling him that it was more than just a reunion of sisters.

"I sent the team home." She was going to wait until morning to discuss the actual problem but now was as good a time as any other. "She may be involved with a murder or assault case."

"Might be?" Gibbs asked, he was surprised but he did a good enough job of hiding it. He hadn't known she had a sister, but they never did talk much about pasts and families together.

"Andrea woke up in a park, alone, forty miles from her house; covered in blood with a knife in her hand three days ago." She stated the facts in a way she might have years ago when she was still an agent. "And she doesn't remember anything."

"I'm going to need to open a case..." He said in a purely professional tone.

"I know."

"I'm going to need to speak with her…"

"I know."

"I'm going to need all the evidence…"

"I know" She got up and pulled out three evidence bags from behind the desk; one with clothes that had the red stain of blood on them, another with a urine sample in it, and the last had a blood covered knife.

He gave her a look asking where she got the items.

"Andy is a lot of things, but she is not stupid; and she knows how investigations work." Jen said. She flashed back to the investigation of her father's death and the toll it had taken on her sister and herself. She shook off that feeling of pain and returned to the task at hand; helping Andrea.

"You'll bring her to the office in the morning?" He asked.

She nodded and he headed towards the door.

"Jethro?"

He stopped at her word.

"Thank you." She said walking him the rest of the way to the door. He looked up to the top of the stairs where the guest bedroom was and back at her.

"Don't mention it Jen." He shrugged on his jacket and left.

She shut the front the door behind him and leant up against it, tomorrow was going to be long.

-0-0-0-0-

Gibbs had just left for coffee (Again) and the rest of the team was waiting patiently for Jenny and Andrea to come into the office. So instead of wasting their precious time working, they decided to speculate.

"Ya think Gibbs knew The Director had a sister?" Tony said his eyes never leaving the screen he was currently playing Tetris on.

"Well I sure didn't." Ziva scoffed, she was still a little surprised that Jen had never told her, or more over, that she had never figured it out.

"You don't know everything Zee-Vah, but she is pretty hot." Tony said.

"The Director would not allow you to see her; she knows your way with women." Ziva threw in.

"She does have a point Tony; I would never let you near my sister." McGee said, always adding in his two cents to a conversation.

"Well The Director isn't you McGee." Tony spat rudely at the agent who spoke out against him.

"Hey Guys!!" Abby said rounding the corner.

"Come to watch the show Abbs?" Tony asked.

"Well that, and Gibbs briefed me on the case, or lack there of. He said I had to do my best for The Director." She said nodding towards Gibbs' desk.

"It looks like you're just in time too." Ziva said as Jen and Andrea came their way.

Before Jenny could even get the chance to introduce Abby to her sister the Goth enveloped her in her signature bone crushing hug. "Hi I'm Abby, and you must be Andrea right?"

"Uhh… Yeah." The confused brunette said, but she decided that she like this new person; she wasn't as strict as everyone else seemed. "But you can call me Andy."

"Cool!" Abby said finally releasing her and almost knocking Andrea's iced coffee out of her hands.

"So I thought you said that Gibbs guy was gonna be here?" Andy said taking in the room completely and sipping on her drink.

"I'm here." Gibbs said striding over from the elevator with two Jamaican blend coffees in hand, one which he gave to Jen as soon as he reached her. Andrea looked Gibbs up and down, sizing him up, and he did the same.

" So _your_ Gibbs….. or do you prefer Jethro?" She said in-between drinking her coffee and watching with disdain as her sister drank the coffee that Gibbs brought her.

"Gibbs." He answered.

"Funny cause Jenny calls you Jethro… but then again she does _know_ you better than I do." She said emphasizing a particular word. "I just thought you'd be….."

"I'd be what?" He said ready to play her game.

The team was on the edge of their seats, or they would be if they were sitting.

Abby was wide eyed watching as Andy and Gibbs sparred, the day just kept getting better and better, besides the whole mysteriously stabbing someone thing.

Jen had stopped drinking her coffee just to watch her sister and Gibbs continue their pissing match, knowing if she stepped in she would be forced to choose a side, and that would not end well for her.

"Hotter…Younger maybe? Your not ugly….just." Andrea started.

"I'd stop there if I were you." Tony leaned in and whispered over her shoulder.

"Well Jenny doesn't talk much about you, so I had nothing to base my assumptions off of." She continued ignoring DiNozzo's warning. She could handle this Gibbs guy.

"Well she never talked about you at all." Gibbs quipped.

"Touché" Andrea said returning to her iced coffee.

"Are you done children or should I extend the play date?" Jenny said drawing the conversation to a close. When Andrea replied with a sarcastic 'no mom' she continued. "Abby I believe you have the evidence bags?"

"Yup! Gibbs gave 'em to me earlier." Abby said taking the hint and heading down to her lab pulling McGee along with her.

"Tony, Ziva you work with Andrea, try to figure out where she was the night of the …incident." She said as the three crowded around Tony's desk.

"Are you taking over the case Director?" Gibbs asked with a smirk.

"Maybe. Can I have a word with you Agent Gibbs…..in my office?" Before he could even reply she was up the stairs. And he followed.

Once in her office she waited for him to come in before closing the door, loudly.

"What was that?" She asked referring to what had just happened downstairs.

"She started it!" He defended himself. Earning a glare that told him he was being completely pathetic. She took off her coat and hung it up getting ready for a typical business day; with a twist. And that twist happened to be her sister.

"She didn't do it." Jen said resting against her desk.

"Jen, we don't even know what 'it' is," Even though it was her sister, he still had to be objective; he still had to take the facts into play.

"I know Andrea, and she would never hurt someone. She didn't do it."

"She was covered in blood, with a knife..." He started.

"I Know!" She snapped at him.

"We can't treat this case special just 'cause she is your sister! You of all people should know what getting personal with cases can do-" Gibbs said, referencing to Rene Beniot's case, but he was cut off by Jenny stepping into his personal space.

"I'm not asking you to do that Jethro, I ….I just need you to find the _truth." _She was still standing just a little to close to him for comfort when the door swung open.

A winded Tony and frustrated Cynthia stepped into the room ignoring the obvious tension that the pair was sharing. Both Gibbs and Jenny shot them an angry glance.

"Director, we have a problem!" Cynthia said rushing back into the outer office.

Leaving Tony to answer the unasked question. "Something is wrong with Andrea."

**A/N 2: Let me know what you think, constructive criticism is welcomed!!**


	4. Chapter Four New Information

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything, except Andrea.**

**A/N: If I got some of the medical junk wrong, then I'm sorry, but I needed it in there. Enjoy!**

_**Chapter Four; New Information**_

Jenny shook her head as she sat on the edge of an autopsy table. Andrea was on another table being examined by Ducky.

"Other than that little fainting spell you seem like a perfectly healthy young woman." Ducky said placing his doctoral tools into a box. "I'm sorry we had to meet this way and that our Director didn't introduce us earlier." He said throwing a sideways glance at an anxious looking Jenny.

"I'm sorry Ducky, but we had more important thing to worry about than introductions." Jen said hopping off the table, her sister doing the same thing.

"Well the underlying cause for your dizziness could be stress related or- " He started but was cut off by Abby dashing into the room.

"It wasn't an accident!" The Goth said earning confused glances from the other occupants of the room. "Andy you didn't faint because you were stressed, you were poisoned!"

-0-0-0-0-

"So according to Abby, Andrea had an unusually high dose of ruphinol in her system." Ziva began glancing up from a lab report.

"Did Ducky's examination show sexual assault?" Jen asked her mind focused on the case, and she almost completely forget that the main suspect….. Or should she say victim, was her sister.

"No, surprising since it _is _a date rape drug." Tony supplied.

She let out a shaky breath thanking god that her baby sister hadn't been put through that torture. Everyone gave her a look, asking why she didn't already know that; like they expected Andy to tell her everything. They really didn't know Andrea that well.

She shook off the feeling that she should be a lot closer to her sister than she was, but you can't change what happened in the past; especially if it made you who you are now.

"I want her put into protective custody," Gibbs started, moving from his desk; throwing away his coffee cup as he went. "She'll be fine at your house right Director?"

She gave him a 'Did you even have to ask?' look and he nodded his head as if to say 'Thought so'. His hand fell to her back, guiding her to the elevator without protest. Again leaving the team, or mostly DiNozzo, to discuss things he really shouldn't poke his nose into.

"Why do you think she never talked about her?" Tony said eyes still on the already closed elevator doors.

"Maybe she never thought it was important to discuss her family." McGee said.

"Maybe because it is her personal business." Ziva said hoping to end the conversation. She wasn't comfortable speculating on her friends' private life.

" Or maybe it is because something unspeakable happened, tearing the two sisters apart." Tony said dramatically as if it were part of a trailer to a movie.

The other two just gave him the 'Shut up' look.

"I'm just saying, it could happen." Tony mumbled under his breath. Why couldn't they have good ideas like him?

-0-0-0-0-

In the elevator Jen sighed, the day just kept getting more and more complicated. To her surprise they made it all the way to the ground floor without the emergency switch being flicked. And just like before he guided her out of the elevator and building quietly. After a block of walking she was fed up with guessing what he was up to.

She stopped walking and turned to face Gibbs, who already had a smirk on his face. "What are we doing?"

"Walking."

"Jethro?" She sighed impatiently.

"You needed a break." He said trying to pull her along again.

"And why do you care what I need all of the sudden?" She asked, her hand landing on her hip, just as it always did when she argued with him.

"Well I'm outta coffee…." He joked, earning a badly hidden grin from her.

"Well in that case I guess taking a break is okay." Jen said walking off in front of him, swinging her hips more than necessary, just because she knew he was watching. In two large strides he caught up with her and his hand rested on her back again.

They reached the entrance to a small diner, not the usual by far. She looked over at him and he already knew what she was going to ask.

"Well it's about time for lunch, and starbucks doesn't have food like this." He said grabbing the door and holding it open for her.

She stepped into the little restaurant and headed over to a booth in the back, a practice she picked up during her days as an agent. Jen took the seat facing the wall letting Gibbs take the one that faced the rest of the restaurant, knowing he needed the control, and she trusted him enough to let him have it.

Before they were even settled in completely a peppy girl hoped over their way, her blonde pony tail bouncing with every step. "Welcome to McNeil's' I'm Trisha, I'll be your server." She started and continued with the usual spiel about drinks and specials. Jenny listened, or pretended to and Gibbs didn't even acknowledge she was talking; instead he watched as Jen pretend to be interested in their new meat loaf recipe.

After ordering coffee, they sat in surprisingly comfortable silence. Neither wanted to break the peaceful moment, knowing that as soon as they returned to work it would be hectic and filled with paperwork and dead ends.

"Thanks for dragging me out of the office." She said after a steaming cup of coffee was placed in front of her and the nosy waitress had walked off.

"I told you, I just needed coffee." He said gulping the practically boiling liquid with out wincing.

"Uh-huh." She chuckled and sipped at her own drink.

-0-0-0-0-

"You don't seem too worried." Abby said typing away at her computer. She turned around to Andrea who was sitting on the counter swinging her legs.

"Well I don't see the point when Jenny worries enough for the both of us." The brunette said reaching out and snatching Abby's CafPow! and taking a drink before passing it back. Apparently her and her sister both had a thing for stealing other people's beverages, but there was one big difference; the people they stole them from.

Abby looked down at her beloved drink, and shrugged before taking a sip.

"So do you know any classified secrets about The Silver Haired Fox and The Director?" Abby said pulling her swivel chair out and sitting on it.

"The Director? I'm still getting used to hearing her called that!" Andrea snorted. "And if you mean Gibbs and her, than no; I don't think I know anymore than you do."

"Well what do you know?"

"They were partners for a while when she had to go undercover in Europe, and _something _happened." She said with a mischievous smile.

Abby just grinned. Finally, she had conformation!

"But, I don't know why it ended." Andrea said, closing the conversation abruptly.

"You're her sister! You are supposed to know these things!" Abby whined mad that her 'source' had no more information.

Andy shook her head, "Well we've never been that close."

Abby sensing that this was a sensitive topic stood up and embraced the other woman in one of her signature hugs; just as three squabbling agents walked in.

"Woah-ho-ho!" Tony exclaimed taking in the sight before him, Abby standing up, hugging Andrea, who was sitting on the counter; his mind wandered through all the possible things that could come from this.

Abby jumped away quickly. "Anthony DiNozzo get your mind out of the gutter!" She scolded and when she saw how red faced McGee was she added, "You too Timmy!"

Ziva just snickered and slapped them both on the back of the head.

-0-0-0-0-

Cassandra Harting was jogging, or at least trying to while pulling her stubborn dog behind her. She really should have just gotten a German Shepard instead of this prissy poodle.

But, suddenly she felt the leash pull her in a totally different direction. The dog rushed into the bushes, and reluctantly she followed. She stepped into a clearing and nearly slipped in mud, or what she thought was mud.

She looked down and gasped in shock at seeing her stark white running shoes painted in blood. Her dog's barking brought her attention back to the real world. Her eyes jumped to the area right in front of her.

A body was sprawled out in the underbrush, the chest covered in blood. His eyes were open, staring unseeingly into the sky.

Cassandra stumbled backwards, almost tripping over a rock or two. And finally she found her voice, she screamed louder than she ever thought possible. Her scream interrupted the once serene park and sent birds flying out of the trees.

And by the time her voice had worn out the only thing that she could hear was that stupid dog's barking, and the only thing she saw was the glossy eyes of the dead man she found in the park.

-0-0-0-0-

Gibbs had just gotten up and held out his hand for Jen as she scooted out of the booth.

Even though she claimed to be and independent woman she couldn't help but except his gentlemanly gesture, and so she reached up and took his hand. He pulled her to her feet and she shivered at the contact.

But their rare moment in silence was broken by the shrill ring of his phone. And they were brought back to the reality that they were standing in a small restaurant with other people's eyes on them; which included one creepy older man who just let out a low whistle.

"Gibbs." He said taking a step out of her personal space. She watched as his face went from annoyed at being interrupted to something she couldn't quite read, but she knew it wasn't good.

He hung up his phone and turned to look at her. "There's a body at Rock Creek Park, he's been stabbed. And they found your sister's purse right next to him."

"Oh shit."

**Review!!**


	5. Chapter Five The Connection

**A/N: I really don't like this chapter that much, but it had to be written to move the story along. In my opinion I saw Andrea being about 34/35 so if I got the Jasper Shepard death thing wrong… so be it. Warning, this may seem a little OOC; and if it does I'm sorry.**

**Enjoy!**

_**Chapter Five**_

Gibbs was driving at his normal speed, or maybe even a little bit slower. He really didn't want to get to the crime scene; knowing that once he did this would become real, and Jen would have to accept it for what it was. Ziva was in the seat next to him; she had been banned from the truck because of her driving skills. McGee sat in the back seat, as per usual, typing on his laptop.

They pulled into Rock Creek Park followed closely by the NCIS truck with Tony driving. By the time Palmer had hopped out and brought the gurney around the team and Dr. Mallard were far into their preliminary evaluation.

"Male; early forties. With what I can see, eight clear stab wounds and three others that seem to be slices." Ducky said prodding at the body with his gloved hand. "Dead about three and a half to five days."

"Cause of death?" Gibbs asked squatting down to examine the body himself.

"Well this wound here," Ducky said pointing to a particularly large gash in the man's lower stomach. "Looks deep enough to have torn through his liver, I suspect he bled out; and quickly."

"DiNozzo-." Gibbs started.

"Sketch and shoot, on it boss!" Tony said heading back to the car to get his gear.

"David-."

"I'll handle evidence." Ziva said with a nod.

"McGee?" Gibbs asked, expecting the younger agent to anticipate his job.

"I'll talk to the woman who found him," He looked down at a note pad. "A Miss Cassandra Harting." McGee said, not disappointing his boss.

"They've done well, they almost don't need you now Jethro." Ducky said, only teasing his friend.

"Yeah, well I teach them to anticipate." Gibbs said cracking a small smile.

"Well I think they're doing much more on this case." The older man said, referencing to the fact that this case was personal.

"They should do their best on every case." Gibbs reached for the wallet that was sticking out of the front pocket of the man's navy issue blue trousers.

"You don't think she did it, do you?"

"I don't know what to think; I mean hell her bag is _right here, _next to a dead chief petty officer, stabbed, exactly how she claimed she did." Gibbs said, loosing his temper, if only for a moment.

"Well I don't think she did it, at least not in her right mind." Ducky stated, nodding to Jimmy to lay down the body bag.

"And why do you say that?" He said rising to his feat, Ducky doing the same.

"Because, of the talk I had with her earlier, during my examination." Ducky said matter-of-factly. Gibbs just shifted his weight, silently urging him to continue.

"Her father, Jennifer's father, Andrea was only seventeen when he died. She wouldn't take a life. According to her, the reason her and Jennifer haven't talked was that Our Director's job used to revolve around death. She couldn't understand how her sister could kill after their own father had died." Ducky whispered, this conversation was not meant for the nosey ears of Mr. Palmer.

"Andrea doesn't think her father was murdered?"

"No, Jethro, she doesn't. But, she does think Jennifer only entered this job for revenge she would never find." He turned to walk, but Gibbs stopped him.

"And does Jen know that she thinks this?"

"Ask her Jethro." Ducky said walking back to the truck to take the body back to headquarters.

-0-0-0-0-

"So, they've found a body?" Andrea sighed from the couch while Jen sat at her desk. The red-head nodded.

"And, my bag was there….. next to it?" She said trying to wrap her mind around the news she was given. And her sister just nodded again.

"So I really did kill someone?" She said in an absent voice. At this Jenny got up and crossed the room, sitting down on the couch next to Andrea.

"There is only circumstantial evidence that puts you at the scene. Anyone could have put your bag there." She said, still not out of her Director mode yet.

"Jen can't you just be my sister right now?" Andrea whined.

"Well what do you want me to say?" She asked, she really did want to be there for Andrea, but it had been so long since they had even talked that she had honestly forgotten what sisters did.

"I don't know Jenny just tell me everything is going to be alright, don't rattle off this stupid Director BS." She yelled at Jen standing up from the couch.

The room fell quiet. Andrea's outburst took all the comfortable air between them away and basically burned the bridge to going back to a normal evening. Jennifer cleared her throat and tapped the cushion beside her and Andrea sank into it.

Usually Jennifer Shepard was uncomfortable with physical displays of affection, but if she could let her defenses down around anyone, it would be her sister. She pulled the younger woman into her and stroked her shoulder.

"Andy?" She asked quietly.

"Yeah?" Andrea's voice was just as quiet.

"I'm sorry."

Some rules are just meant to be broken.

-0-0-0-0-

In the Squad room Gibbs' team were going over the information they had, about the victim: Aaron Eaglestone, and the maybe suspect: Andrea Shepard. When, speak of the devil, The Director and Andrea headed down the stairs.

Jenny looked far more relaxed than before, and one might even call the look on her face happy. The always relaxed Andrea looked happy as well and they were talking and laughing quietly as the reached the team.

A picture of the victim in his Navy uniform was on the plasma. He was a fairly handsome man, with strawberry blonde hair and soft green eyes; he looked far to kind to ever be a man of the military.

"Hey where did you get a picture of Aaron?" Andrea asked marching straight up to the screen. "Wait, are you guys digging into my personal life?"

The team looked bewildered and neither had the guts, or the heart to tell her why he was really there.

"Well?" Andrea asked, almost sounding like Jen in her Director Façade.

"Do you know this man?" Gibbs asked pointing to the plasma.

"Yeah that's Aaron, my boyfriend." She said, looking around at all the shocked faces; including her sister.

"Jen?" Andrea asked.

"That is the stabbing victim." Jen stated.

**A/N 2: And so the plot thickens! Review please and let me know what you think :)).**

**Oh, BTW I'm trying to include all of the NCIS characters….so if I'm missing anyone (Besides Vance) let me know!**


	6. Chapter Six Killing Them With Coffee?

**A/N: I know this seems like allot to be happening in like one or two days, but when you think about it on the show they solve a case in a matter of days. But, I promise to space it out some. Read and enjoy!! :)**

_**Chapter Six; **_

"How is she?" Gibbs asked as Ziva exited the interrogation room.

"Considering she might have killed her boyfriend, she could be better." Ziva said.

"Ducky said she would have been under the influence at the time of the murder." McGee pointed out, trying to lift spirits somehow.

"Would it matter? If she did do it under the influence of drugs, I don't think knowing that would help at all; she still would have killed him." Ziva said shaking her head; she knew how it felt to have killed a loved one.

Gibbs stopped to glare at both of his agents, fighting was not going to make this investigation any easier. "Get DiNozzo; be in the bullpen in when I get back." He said turning the opposite direction, heading for the stairs.

"Where are you going?" Ziva shouted as he rounded the corner. 'Coffee' was the gruff reply she got.

"But, the elevator's that way…" McGee said nodding to the opposite direction from where their boss had headed.

"And you don't think he knows that?" She said cocking her head.

McGee just nodded, he knew what was going on, but he didn't like it; the case was getting to their boss.

-0-0-0-0-

Gibbs took the stairs down, needing to take a break. He was conflicted; follow the evidence or follow his gut. The evidence pointed to Andrea having killed Eaglestone but, for some reason, he really doubted that. He really didn't want to think that the reason his gut was telling him these things was holed up in her office on the top floor of the NCIS building. It was late, but Gibbs seriously doubted Jen was going to go home with her sister sitting in interrogation. Thankfully he knew a good twenty-four-seven coffee shop; he had a feeling he wasn't the only one who needed it.

-0-0-0-0-

The team had been waiting in the bullpen for a while now; their boss often went out for coffee but since it was near midnight and well past closing time for most café`s, his trip was taking a little longer than usual.

Even Tony didn't have the energy to gossip, he was tired, and more than a little afraid of Gibbs today.

The elevator dinged and out stepped none other than Leroy Jethro Gibbs with not just one coffee cup, not two or three, but six cups and a CafPow! All six coffee cups were nestled into a cardboard carrier, the CafPow! was in his other hand. He stepped up to Tony's desk and thumped the cup holder down, slashing a small amount of the liquid out of the top of the lids and onto Tony's desk in the process.

"Uhh Boss?" Tony said looking at the coffee like it was some mystical creation.

"It's coffee DiNozzo" Gibbs said like him bringing his team coffee was a daily occurrence. He reached out and removed two of the coffees.

"Yeah but there's four of 'em." Tony said, looking back up to his Boss.

"Aren't you thirsty?" He said, when he was greeted with silence he turned to the stairs. Half way up the tongue tied agents finally spoke.

"But what about the other one?" Tony said calling after Gibbs. He received a withering look.

"Right, Andrea." Tony said passing Ziva and McGee a cup.

"Why is he bringing us coffee?" Ziva asked looking at the cup as if it were poisoned.

"The Boss-man is un-sure about what to do with the case; and the Director." Tony smirked, settling down into his chair, managing to spill his scalding hot drink all over himself. "Ahhh!" He hopped up and threw the empty cup down in disgust.

McGee laughed at his colleague's never-ending accidents and handed Ziva the last two coffees.

"I don't know, but I could get used to Gibbs being un-sure." Ziva said to herself walking out of the bullpen and down the corridor to interrogation.

-0-0-0-0-

Of course, the one time she was more than willing to chip away at the never-ending stack of paperwork, there seemed to be hardly any. That seemed to be just her luck lately. Jen pressed a button on her phone and waited patiently for her assistant's voice to fill the overly quiet room.

"Yes Director?" Cynthia answered.

"Are there anymore reports for me?" She asked removing her glasses and rubbing her temples.

"No ma'am. The agents are feeling rather, productive today." Her assistant said sarcastically, leaving out the part that a certain supervisory special agent was the reason for the new found jump in work ethic.

"Yeah, lucky for me…" Jen chuckled. "Cynthia?'

"Yes Director?"

"Go home." Jen said addressing her assistant in a tired voice.

"But, your appointments have been pushed back do to the- situation. I am more than happy to stay here and work out your schedule for tomorrow..." Cynthia started.

"Exactly my point, go home, have a life, it's late."

Cynthia watched out of the corner of her eyes as Gibbs strolled into the outer office. "Director-." She tried to warn her boss of Gibbs, but she was cut off.

"No, go home." Jen said hanging up before her assistant could talk her way into overtime.

Cynthia hung up her phone and glanced up at Gibbs; who for once, had waited in front of her desk, for _her_ permission to enter. She just nodded to him, if the Director wouldn't let her warn her of him, and if he usually never bothered with waiting, than why did she even try anymore?

Jenny huffed and started organizing papers that were scattered across the desk, but was soon interrupted by Gibbs busting through the door, just as dramatically as always.

"Yes?" She sat back into her chair. What did he want now?

"Brought you some coffee." Gibbs said setting a cup down in front of her and taking a sip of his own.

"Why are you being so nice to me today?"

"Are you saying that I'm not nice to you every other day?" His trademark smirk played on his face.

"You're deflecting." Jen pushed herself out of her leather chair.

Gibbs just stood and watched as she walked around to face him; eventually she stopped and rested against her desk.

Jethro stepped up to her, close enough to smell her perfume and feel her breath tickle his cheek. This was possibly the closest they had been since, well, Paris.

"Why are you being so nice to me Jethro?"

He didn't answer, or at least not with words.

He kissed her, slowly, but she deepened it by running her tongue along his lower lip. He didn't hesitate to allow her access to his mouth. Jen's hands slowly ran from their position on his chest to the back of his head where they sat playing with the collar of his jacket. After a minute he reluctantly pulled back, and she whimpered at the loss of contact.

"Jethro?"

"Abby needs her CafPow!." He turned away from her, and then back, leaving one smaller kiss to her lips. Gibbs headed out of her office leaving Jen fingering the spot on her lips where he had just kissed her.

-0-0-0-0-

"What do ya' got Abbs?" Gibbs asked as he walked into the lab.

"Hi Gibbs!" She grappled him into a giant bear hug, after a second though she started sniffing him feverishly.

"Abby?"

She released him but still stayed close enough to whisper to him. "Gibbs you smell like, The Director!"

He raised an eyebrow at her observation.

"You know, that coffee, Bourbon, perfume thing she has going on! Like a female version of you!" She was still whispering, "How did you get her smell on you?" She poked her finger along with her words.

"Abby, the case?"

"YESS! Mommy and Daddy are back together!" She danced around him in a whirl of black pig tails. "Gibbs your silence speaks volumes!"

"Do you want this or not?" He said shaking the CafPow! in front of her.

"You drive a hard bargain Gibbs!" She said snatching the drink from him and turning to her computers. "With the amount of Ruphinol in her system it is pretty much impossible for Andrea to have killed Eaglestone in Ducky's time of death; she was out cold." Abby paused mulling over that statement. "Well technically she wasn't cold…. She was normal temperature."

"Good job Abbs." Gibbs said leaving a grinning Abby behind in the lab.

"Yay! I can't wait to tell Tony!" She whispered to herself.

-0-0-0-0-

"We know you didn't kill him." Ziva said to Andrea who was sitting on the other side of the interrogation table.

"Well at least one of us knows." Andrea said under her breath.

"You were drugged at that time, you didn't do it." Ziva tried to reassure her.

"Then what the hell was my bag doing there?"

"That is what we are going to figure out. Why don't you start by telling me how you and the victim know each other?"

"We met through Aaron's son Michael's school. Michael is one of my kids." Andrea said completely ignoring the way her words sounded.

"Umm what?" Ziva asked confused; weren't you supposed to know your children's fathers?

"Oh, what I meant was that Michael is one of my students. I'm a student teacher at Woodbrook Elementary school for the third grade. I met Aaron at Michael's student conference, and we started seeing each other."

"And Michael's mother?" Ziva asked sipping at her coffee, it was a nice gesture from Gibbs, but she really wasn't a fan of the drink both of her Bosses seemed to live off of.

"They're divorced." Andrea said. She hadn't even bothered with her coffee. She never touched the stuff unless it was doused in sugar and cool whip.

"And what did she think of you seeing Chief Petty Officer Eaglestone?"

"I didn't think she knew." Andrea said. "Can I go up to Jenny's office now?" She didn't want to talk anymore about this than she already had. Plus, she was seriously tired, and Ziva was driving her crazy with the incessant needling.

Ziva nodded and lead Andrea out of the small oppressive room.

**Kinda an anticlimactic ending but that's all I could do right now; stupid me totally went off my plot line…. And now I'm just flying blind so be patient! **

**Review!**


	7. Chapter Seven Histories

**A/N: Sorry for the longish update….I just was in the procrastinating mood :). Thank you Jeanne for helping me out with this chapter when I got lazy.**

**Enjoy!**

_**Chapter Seven; Histories**_

"Ughhh!" Andrea flopped down on the couch in her sister's living room ungracefully.

"Feel better?" Jen asked sarcastically standing over Andrea's disheveled form.

"Shut up."

Jenny gave her a sad smile and turned to go upstairs.

Andrea let out a huge sigh in the overly quite house; she didn't understand how Jen could live in such a dark place that held so many memories, good and bad.

_It had been snowing all day and well into the night; they were going to have a white Christmas. The door bust open and two little girls ran into the house. Snow was falling off their jackets and was being ground into the hard wood floor by their matching pink snow boots._

_The oldest one, barely eleven, had flaming red hair that hung in two loose braids and her shoulder turned to her four year old sister. "Were gonna hide from Mommy and Daddy okay?" _

_She just nodded in return; her blonde hair falling into her eyes. _

"_Come on Andy." Jenny grabbed her sister's hand and pulled her up the stairs enthusiastically._

_Just as they made it into the closet of the room they shared a winded man and a laughing woman entered the foyer. Spotting the puddles of water their children had left the red-headed woman turned to her husband. "I think they're hiding." _

"_Well then let's find 'em." He said grinning. _

"_Jennifer Marie" They called as they headed in different directions. "Andrea Elaine!"_

_--_

_The little girls were still in the closet trying hard not to giggle as they heard their parents go through room by room looking for them. By the time they heard them in the blue painted bedroom next to their pink one Jenny knew the jig was almost up. _

_As their father opened the door she jumped out and into his arms. Andy sat still sucking her thumb stopping only to ask for her 'Momma'. _

_-0-0-0-0-_

_They had been polar opposites as children. Jenny was daddy's little girl and Andy her mothers daughter. Jenny had bright red hair and fierce green eyes, while Andrea was the softer of the two with white hair and robin-egg-blue eyes. Jenny would speak her mind and always be the boss in their games while her little sister was content to just follow her big sister's lead. They had been different, but close. _

_Or at least close until one faithful day not long after Andrea's eighth birthday. Jen had been out with her friends; she was fifteen and way too cool to spend her time at home with her annoying little sister, their father was on a business trip and Andrea was at home with her mother. _

_It would be two days till Jasper Shepard would return from his Pentagon conference and the family had planned to have a Barbeque in honor of his return. _

"_Andy we have to run to the store." Jacquelin Shepard called to her youngest daughter who sat in her bedroom playing with a doll. The doll wasn't hers, it was Jenny's, but Andrea had always liked it, and Jenny had never wanted to give it up. (She may be fifteen but she had the right to keep some of her favorite toys.) Andrea hopped up off her bed and snuck into the room next to hers. True, it was painted blue, but Jenny had decided she could make do with the color in exchange for her personal space. The little girl opened the bottom drawer of her sister's bureau and laid the doll lovingly inside it. _

_She had just hopped out of her sister's room and was in the process of closing the door when her mother snuck up behind her. "Were you just playing with Jenny's doll?" _

_Instead of answering Andrea just blushed and kicked at the carpet. _

"_That's okay if you were," Her mother said squatting down to be face to face with her. "I won't tell." She smiled and held out a jacket for Andrea to put on._

_--_

_The whole backseat of the car was full up with groceries and one very squished eight year old. She had begged her mom to let her sit up front but Jacquelin had stood her ground. So now she sat pouting on the drive home from the market. It was getting dark, and what happened next was unexpected. To both the mother and daughter and the drunk driver that was headed straight for them._

_--_

_Jenny and Jasper Shepard raced into the Emergency Room. He had been able to leave the conference early and was planning on surprising his family. But, instead of coming home to the welcoming arms of his wife and daughters, the house was empty. Not five minutes into him being home he had received a call noting that his wife and youngest had been in a car accident. He had headed towards the hospital picking up Jenny on the way._

"_Family of Andrea Shepard?" An older nurse asked from the nurse's station._

_They both headed up to her._

"_She is doing fine, has a few cuts and bruises but should be able to go home tonight." The nurse said not hesitating to give the eager family members any good news she could. "You can go in and see her, room 4A, end of the hall." _

_Jasper nodded his thanks to her and walked into the room where Jenny was already next to Andrea, who was sitting up legs dangling over the edge of the bed._

"_Where is Momma?" The little blonde girl asked her father._

"_I don't know Andy." Jenny said embracing her sister. _

_Just then a somber looking doctor had entered the already crowded room. "Are you the family of Jacquelin Shepard?" _

_The two girls nodded and the older one helped her sister off the hospital bed. _

"_I'm sorry, she didn't make it."_

_At that the youngest girl broke down into tears, not understanding how her mother could just be gone. Jenny held her sister and silently cried while the doctor led a stunned Jasper out of the room to identify the body and explain the injuries that ultimately caused her death._

Jenny had turned to her father even more than usual after her mother's death. Andrea had felt lost, sure she loved her father, but her mother had been her confidant. Jenny and Jasper were so much alike, they spent time in the study him working and her doing her homework. She had been interested in his military career and he didn't hesitate to teach her to shoot; never mind the fact that she wasn't a boy. Andrea had been the one who would help in the kitchen and play house when her mother had the time.

Growing up she almost resented her sister, she had got to grow up with a mother and father for the most of her childhood. Jenny had got to have her father at her graduation and through college. Jasper died a year before Andrea had a chance to graduate. She was ripped of both her parents and her sister had closed herself off.

It was odd, to be spending so mush time with Jen after years of little to no contact. But they fell into a rhythm that came naturally to the sisters. And Andrea just hoped that with this new found connection they could stay in touch.

Jen headed down the stairs dressed in comfortable pajama bottoms and a NIS t-shirt that may have at one point belonged to an agent that had been around for the switch to NCIS. She handed Andrea an NCIS t-shirt and similar pants. After she had dressed Andy left the bathroom and flopped back onto the couch while she waited for Jenny to get done lighting the fire.

"How come mine has more letters than yours?" She asked noticing the deference in their shirts.

"They changed the name a few years back." Jen said settling into an overly squishy armchair. "Do you wanna talk about him?" She asked.

"Not really." Andrea answered. "Do you wanna talk about him?"

Jen looked confused for a second. "Who?"

"The guy who you stole that shirt from." She said with a small grin.

"How do you know I stole this shirt from anyone? I am The Director you know, I can get a shirt from my agency." Jen said.

"I'm not stupid Jenny; you weren't in the agency when they were NIS." Andrea said. "I'll make you a deal…."

Jen sat up to look at her sister properly, waiting for her to finish with her proposal.

"You tell me about Mr. NIS…. Who I'm sure I've met today… and I'll tell you about Aaron." Andrea said as she put her legs up on the ottoman in front of her, looking way to self assured.

Jen pondered the deal, she really didn't want to talk about Gibbs, but she did want Andrea to talk about Aaron, it can be hard enough loosing someone; especially after you've lost enough people already. "Deal."

"You gonna get us a drink?" Andrea said teasing her sister who did just as she asked returning with two beers. "Beer?"

"I'm getting a little tired of Bourbon." Jenny lied, she could never get tired of it. Honestly she just thought Bourbon was too oppressive for the .

"Okay, well I'll start." Andrea opened her bottle with the opener Jen had handed her and reached over to do the same for her sister. "Where did you meet Gibbs- I mean Mr. NIS?"

She shot her sister a glare after sipping her beer. "I met him when I was a probie, he was team leader."

"Too vague. I need details."

"1997 at the office you just spent all day at." Jen added.

"Hmmm. What desk did you sit at?" Andrea asked shifting on the couch.

"Ziva's desk." Jen paused. "I already know where you met Aaron, so how long were you two together?"

"Only about six months officially."

Jen cocked her head to the side, only guessing what un-officially meant.

"Yeah he took me on a couple 'Friend' dates before he technically asked me out." Andy chuckled. "You?"

"Officially?" She asked to clarify.

"When was the first date?" Andy asked.

"Well we never really had a first date….." Jen drawled.

"Well then when was the first time you guys…you know.."

At this Jenny started laughing and turned a light pink with embarrassment. "An attic in Marseilles."

"And the last time?"

Jen nearly choked on her drink. "I believe it was my turn." She needed to get away from the topic of the last time.

"Fine, avoid my question, but just know I'll ask it again." Andrea said finishing off her beer and walking to the fridge to get two more.

When she got back Jen asked the question she spent the small break coming up with. "Did you love him?"

Andrea stopped in her tracks at the bluntness of Jenny's question. She settled back down on the couch and opened the new beers before answering. "I think so."

Jen had opened her mouth to say something comforting, but Andy didn't want to hear it. "So my turn right?"

Jenny nodded, knowing that if Andrea didn't want to go into it than she shouldn't push.

"When was the last time?" Andrea asked with a smirk; this was the question Jenny had been avoiding.

"Paris." Jen said taking a particularly large drink of her beer. "1999"

"Did you love him?" Andrea mimicked Jen's earlier question.

"Yeah."

"Do you still?" Andrea asked. She knew she was venturing into dangerous territory; she could face the red-headed wrath of her sister, or her sister could break down and cry. She didn't know which one was worse.

"It's not that simple," Jenny said finishing her beer exceptionally quick.

"Yeah it is. It's black and white; you love him or you don't."

"He kissed me today." Jen blurted out hoping it would suffice as a decent distraction tactic.

Andrea's face lit up. "When? Before or after your date?" She teased.

"It wasn't a date!" Jenny said throwing a pillow at Andy. "And it was after, only an hour or so before we left."

They sat laughing quietly before Andrea had an epiphany. "Are all the old movies mom used to watch still here?"

"Yeah I think they're in attic. Any specific one you have in mind?" Jen said grabbing the empty beer bottles and heading for the kitchen.

"Casablanca."

"Okay." Jen said walking up the stairs.

-0-0-0-0-

The movie was close to ending and Andrea was long asleep on one half of the couch. Jenny on the other hand was fighting the urge to close her eyes just so she could hear her favorite line.

_"We'll always have Paris,"_

There it was, she could finally sleep. And sleep she did.

-0-0-0-0-

It was too late when she realized that the banging wasn't caused by someone out of her dream. She realized this tiny fact when she felt a looming prescience beside her. She could smell the signature scent that mixed sawdust, coffee and bourbon – it was a smell that she was all too familiar with and could spot anywhere. It was the smell of Leroy Jethro Gibbs.

"Jethro," Jenny called out in a husky voice as she opened her eyes and met his bright blue ones amusement clearly written in them.

"Shouldn't be sleeping on the couch, Jen," Gibbs told her seeing her position and how much pain she would be in the next day. Andrea was laying across the couch her head on Jenny's lap while Jen was sitting up, her head thrown back. Gibbs eyed the younger Shepard intently. "How she holding up?"

"She's fine. We were just watching Casablanca, try to re-connect," Jenny admitted knowing Gibbs could read her anyway.

"You two fix your problems?" Gibbs inquired watching as Jenny slowly lifted her sister's head and slipped out from the couch, putting a pillow to support her sister's head.

Jenny ignored the question leading Gibbs near the hallway thought still having her sister in her line of sight. "What are you doing here Jethro?"

"Brought dinner," Gibbs said motioning to the kitchen where he had detoured leaving the take out that he had bought for the three of them. "Didn't feel like eating by myself."

Jenny shook her head not buying into his explanation. "What are you _really_ doing here?"

"Wanted to see how you were holding up," Gibbs replied honestly though he knew that Jenny had been aware of his intentions since she saw him. "So how are you doing?"

"I'm fine," Jenny replied her right eye twitching. In retrospect though, she was fine but this case, her sister being here and the usual hardships that her job brought was taking its toll on her. She was tired.

Gibbs looked at her not believing her seeing her right eye. He kept looking at her until she finally shrugged and sighed admitting to him how he was feeling. "I'm tried, but it's nothing a goodnight's sleep won't fix."

Gibbs followed Jenny's line of sight seeing her focus on her younger sister who would for sure wake up with kinks in her back the way she was sleeping. So, without further ado, Gibbs walked up to the couch lifting Jenny's sister up. Andrea didn't even twitch; it was a trait that separated her from Jenny. Her sister slept like a log, so content with the world. It was a trait that Jenny wishes that her sister would never loose.

Jenny followed as Gibbs walked up the stairs walking up to the guest room that used to be her sister's room. He placed her on the bed and walked out to the hallway leaving her alone to say goodnight to her little sister and tuck her in just as she had so many times after their mother had died.

She walked into the hallway walking with Gibbs side by side down the stairs and into the study knowing that there would be Bourbon in their near future. It was just how they did things. She sat down on the oversized couch as Gibbs went and poured them two glasses of bourbon.

"You never told me about her," Gibbs started as he handed her, her glass. Jenny stared in the fire letting the silence fill the air as she mulled the words in her head.

"Never came up," Jenny said. "You never told me about Shannon and Kelly. I think we're even."

Gibbs nodded his head not knowing what to say. He did know how Jenny felt, the less people who knew her sister; the less she would be put in danger because of something Jenny did. He understood that, he really did, but he at least thought that he was one of the people that Jenny could trust. Obviously he was wrong.

"What you gonna do now?" Gibbs asked her. She had always been one step ahead of the game; it was a trait that he loved about her.

After a few beats, Gibbs figured that she wasn't going to say anything more. He drank the rest of his bourbon and just as he was about to walk out of the study, he heard Jenny's faint whisper.

"I don't know," Jenny mumbled still focused on the fire cracking in her fireplace.

Gibbs walked back to where she was sitting engulfing her into an embrace letting her head fall on his shoulder as she fought for control. Distancing herself from her sister was supposed to keep her out of this exact trouble she was in now.

"It's okay, I'm here," Gibbs whispered to her comforting her.

"Thank you, Jethro."

**Review!!**


	8. Chapter Eight ConfessingPart Two

_**Chapter Eight; Confession, Take Two**_

The ringing of Gibbs' phone broke into the peaceful morning. The study, which was normally shrouded in shadows, both figuratively and literally, was glowing with sunlight. He shifted lazily in the armchair happy to let it keep ringing if not for the workaholic sprawled out on the couch across from him.

"Jethro… Answer it." Jenny said tossing his phone at him, hitting him square in the chest. She sat up and made her way robotically towards the wafting smell of freshly brewed coffee coming from the timed pot in the kitchen as he answered.

"Gibbs."

_"Hey Boss, got some good news."_ It was Tony's voice and judging by the muffled tone he was well into his second doughnut of the morning. _"Abby pulled a print off the inside of Andrea's bag, and we got a match."_ He said taking another loud, obvious bite.

"We'll be in soon." Gibbs said hanging up and slipping his feet off the ottoman in front of him. He rolled his neck and tried to rub away the sore spot already forming.

_Meanwhile, inside the NCIS squad room Tony smiled to the dial tone on the other side of the receiver; Gibbs had said 'we'. He looked up at the three pictures spread across the plasma, Victim Number One- Aaron Eaglestone, Victim Number Two- Andrea Shepard, and the Prime Suspect- Ex- Mrs. Nina Eaglestone._

By the time Gibbs had made his way into the kitchen there was already a steaming cup waiting for him. He smirked as he reached for the mug. He had figured she was already in the shower starting her hour-long primping ritual. Damn. Just the thought that Jen was in the shower, _naked, _not more than a flight of stairs and a door or two away from him was enough for his hands to grip the mug just a little tighter. He swallowed an exceptionally big gulp of the coffee trying to distract himself from the images and feelings that were creeping up on him.

He honestly didn't know what to do with himself. After Jenny had let him hold her, if only for a brief amount of time, the evening died down quietly. She had left him in the study while she put the food he had brought into the fridge. When she had gotten back he'd let her work and finally she had given into the pull of sleep and moved to the couch. They had said nothing last night; the sheer presence he provided was enough for her to feel comfortable and he couldn't say he had missed the company of his boat.

He should head home. Women took way to long in the morning, and seeing as there was two in this house it only made sense to double the average time all of his Ex's took.

In other words: **forever**.

Gibbs had more than enough time to go home, shower, change and be back in time to escort them to NCIS before either one of the Shepard sisters knew he was gone. Sure, he didn't have to drive Jen, she had Stanley. But his gentlemanly side had come out and he believed in making sure a woman got to her destination safely - especially if she had let you stay the night. Even _if_ nothing came of it.

He wrote a quick note informing Jen or Andrea, whoever found it, that he would be driving them today and he would be back to pick them up at 0730 and left it on the counter before leaving for his house.

-0-0-0-0-

The room was dark, just as it always was. If you looked straight through the glass you would see a woman who had run out of all options. She was caught, she was confused, the only thing she could think of to do was confess and hope that God and the jury felt lenient with their judgings. But if you paid attention to the slight reflection the one way mirror cast back into the observation room you would see a fuming Agency Director whose jaw was clenched so tight you'd swear she would need a new set of teeth by the time this interrogation was over.

"Let's try this again. What were you doing during the given time period?" Ziva's slightly distorted voice floated in from the room ahead of Jen via the intercom.

The mousy haired woman sitting in the chair fumbled over thoughts and plans that had never really lined up. She teased at the hem of her scratchy sweater under the table. _What had I said last time? _She had been asked too many questions by too many people lately to keep track of her answers. She said the first thing that came to her mind that seemed like a somewhat expectable alibi.

"I was out."

Ziva scoffed at the woman's obvious persistence, even when she - and everyone else - knew that she was guilty as sin. It was only a matter of time before she tripped over her own lies.

The interview continued as Jen watched the reflection again. The sight of Gibbs slowly coming to stand behind her caused Jenny to let a very stressed breath out in a would-be calming way; but in releasing her breath she had to inhale, and with her jaw clenched the only thing she was aware of was the smell of him invading her nostrils.

He shouldn't have such a strong hold over her anymore. She had been around him for the past three years, and he had even spent a good amount of time in her house this past week, just smelling him shouldn't stop her from thinking anything else any longer. But, it did.

"We got her prints all over the bag and knife. It was a sloppy murder, and an even sloppier frame-up job she tried to pull on your sister." He said coming to stand next to her just inches from the glass.

"Motive?" Jen asked.

"Just watch, she'll crack." He replied giving the woman the Gibbs stare, even though it was pointless since the interogatee couldn't see them.

And, just as if on cue, she cracked.

A hand came up from her lap and pushed the stray frizz of her hair from her face as she cried. Ziva on the other hand smiled smugly and leant back against the wall, just waiting for the reasons and justifications to spill from the woman's mouth.

"But you **don't** understand!" She said hitting her palm pointlessly on the table.

"Then tell me. Why did you kill Chief Petty Officer Eaglestone, moreover; why did you frame Andrea Shepard for it?" Ziva asked leaning threateningly over the small table.

She debated trying to spell it out to her interrogator. After all, there was a very little chance that anyone, let alone this woman and whoever else was hiding behind that one way mirror would ever truly understand the depths of her motives. And truly she had no idea how to voice her side of the story as eloquently as she saw it. There was no one word to describe what she had battled internally about in the hours leading up to the actual crimes, and so even attempting to make her point known in a complete fashion would be in vain.

Just as it is said, obscenities are after all only used by those who have no other means to express them selves or, the ignorant. And right now she couldn't quite decipher which category she fit into.

"That _bitch_, Andrea, thought it was okay to see Aaron!" Nina said spitting out Andrea's name like dirt on her tongue.

"Why was it not?" Ziva asked pushing herself off of the table with a little more force than necessary.

"We were going to try again, you know, for Michael's sake." Her voice fell from its previous ear piercing pitch.

"What makes you sure of that?"

Nina closed her eyes and drew a breath, by the time she opened them she noted that Officer David had finally sat down opposite her. "Aaron said so. But then after he talked to her it was like we were never friends, we were never married, we never had that talk. It was like she just took it all from me. He was just so caught up in her." And, just as she had expected the other woman didn't grasp her point. She had wasted her breath.

Leaning forward; arms crossed Ziva spoke. "You're the one who filed for divorce correct?"

Nina shook her head. _Why had she done that? Why must she always act on impulse? _"But I missed him."

Before Ziva could continue, Jen walked in. Just as she closed the door it flew open again and Gibbs stepped in. Sure he had previously tried to make it clear that he _was not_ his Director's handler, but today he might just have to be.

Nina looked confusedly between the two intruders. "Who are you?"

Instead of answering Jenny jumped straight into the questioning. "But he didn't miss you did he?"

Nina sighed and glared at the rudeness of the red-head who loomed aggressively close to her. "He said we'd try again." She said matter-of-factly sitting up and trying to convey her confidence that he had wanted to try to work things out with her.

"You were divorced, he owed you _nothing_. He could see whomever he chose." By now Jen was in a frenzy, getting too into this interrogation for her own good.

Ziva stood up and went for the door; she had a feeling that no matter the fact that this was her place that The Director needed to finish this. She sensed that she needed to leave the room and even though she wanted to calm her down she was not the person who should-or could-stop her.

As she left the tiny room she saw more crocodile tears roll down their suspect's cheek. Who knows, they could be real, but not for the right reasons. Ziva cast a small nod in Gibbs' direction saying she knew and trusted him to handle their frustrated Director.

"No! He _needed me._ I was only trying to help." The Ex-Mrs. Eaglestone spat out at them.

"How?" Gibbs asked speaking for the first time since he left observation.

"Aaron- he got in the way." Nina choked out.

"You drugged Andrea, you killed him, and then you framed her for the murder." Jenny said grabbing at the chance for a confession.

"I didn't mean to kill him; but he wouldn't let me help him. He wouldn't let me help _us._"

"What makes you think you were helping him? They were happy!" Jen was itching to hit this woman but Jethro had reached for her wrist and was pulling her into the hallway before her control slipped further.

Just as the door closed they heard Nina yell back at them. "He didn't know happy!"

That was it, the reason her sister's world had shattered around her: a jealous bitter ex-wife.

Gibbs released her hand and grabbed her shoulders holding her at arms length.

"Jen, we got her."

She took a breath and nodded, her rage finally cooling off.

-0-0-0-0-

**So seeing as this chapter was a wee bit short I decided to give you a preview of the next one…. **

**Coming Up: **

"**Why don't you two just get a room?" Andrea threw over her shoulder at the kissing pair. **

**Once the elevator doors closed Jen leaned in and made sure to brush her lips against his ear as she spoke. "Mine is always free." **

**A Cheshire cat grin spread over Gibbs' face and he let her lead him into the elevator. Being in her house; in her bed would be nice…… If they could make it that far.**

**Review…. 'Cause it really does make me write faster ;P**


	9. Chapter Nine Peeping Toms

"I hear The Director went all 'Harry-Carry' on her ass." Tony laughed as he walked up behind Ziva and Andrea. That snarky comment earned him a glare from the Mossad Officer. He looked away from her and back to where McGee was currently escorting their murderer into the elevator and down to booking. He was having one hell of a time with it. She was sobbing and fighting every step of the way. As if the Probie wasn't enough of a spectacle already.

After McGee finally got her into the elevator and successfully shut the doors the quiet caught up with Tony and he whistled awkwardly and took a couple steps away from the two women.

"How long will she be in for?" Andrea asked.

"Depends on how much the jury hates her," Jen supplied standing next to Tony who was hoping that The Director hadn't heard his previous comment. Andrea nearly jumped out of her skin. Whoever Jenny had learned to sneak up on people like that from had no idea how many almost heart attacks they were responsible for. Tony smirked and immediately hid it away as his Boss walked in.

All throughout this investigation he had been moodier than a teenage girl: one minute he would be barking orders at them like a Marine drill sergeant and the next he was bringing everyone coffee. Tony had no way to know, _and_ no desire to find out which mood he was in currently, though if it was the latter he wouldn't mind.

Andy looked quizzically at the items Jen was handing her: her jacket, hat and bag. "Where are we going?"

"Home-" Jenny started.

"Nowhere." Gibbs butted in.

The red-head turned and shot him an 'Excuse me?' look. They had been at NCIS practically all week, and now that the case was finally over she had all intentions of going home and enjoying the rest of the day in peace. But obviously _someone _had other plans for them.

"Cynthia's orders…. Not mine." He said raising his hands in surrender.

Since when did she start taking orders from her secretary? She was about to go into further questions with him when an apologetic looking Cynthia caught her attention from the landing on the stairs.

"Umm Director, SecNav would like to have a word with you." She said looking like she would rather have spoken to the man himself than interrupt her boss' leaving.

Jen nodded and put Andrea's stuff back onto Ziva's chair where it had been sitting before. She reluctantly walked up the stairs with Cynthia directly behind her.

"How bad is it gonna be?" Andrea winced as she caught the glare of envy Jen was sending them.

"Well," Tony sat down and propped his feet up on his desk. "The Secretary of the Navy has a soft spot for NCIS…. Though, there was that one time after one of the Agents in his detail ran off for a booty-call and someone took a shot at him. He was really pissed."

"DiNozzo-" Gibbs growled.

"Which he had every right to be Boss!" Tony said, covering his ass.

Andrea and Ziva gave him a look before stalking off to the opposite elevator McGee had used.

"I assume they're going to Abby to tell her the good news?" Tony observed.

Gibbs mumbled something like 'Uh-huh' and went back to writing up the last of his case report. Of course, it was only to be thorough since The Director had been privy to the whole investigation.

While Gibbs finished off his practically pointless paperwork, Tony was slinking off to the lab to gossip with the rest of the girls.

-0-0-0-0-

"So, what's going to happen to Michael?" Abby asked as she shut down her lab and tucked her babies in for the night.

"Who's Michael?" Tony asked suspiciously from the doorway.

Abby rolled her eyes and in a teasing tone told him they were talking about the victim's son, not Ziva's new boyfriend.

Ignoring Abby's last comment, Ziva answered the first question asked. "His grandparents are already going through the paper work to adopt him."

"Did they tell you the rest of the story?" DiNozzo asked as he settled himself up against a counter.

"Umm that she confessed? I already knew that Tony," Abby said patronizingly as she patted his cheek. Tony thought he knew everything first, and obviously didn't know that she was the very first person her 'source' had told once she had found out, even before the rest of the team. "But, I happen to know a little bit of a secret…. That is, if you care to listen."

The three girls – even a reluctant Ziva – and Tony gathered conspiringly in the middle of the lab as they compounded their knowledge they had learned in the past days. Most of that knowledge involved what Abby and Andrea had pulled out of the two people that they were going to focus their tactile assault on.

After all, the case was solved. And though Andrea might have more than enough to think about this was a decent enough way to distract herself.

-0-0-0-0-

Jenny ran a hand through her hair and pushed some loose strands from her face as she left her office, hopefully for the last time that afternoon. SecNav had been tolerable, though a little upset that she hadn't briefed him on her personal connection to this case and a little more upset at the fact that her agency's threat assessments were taking longer than usual. But after reasoning with him and sending the ones that were already completed off she had managed to bid him a good evening and leave.

Two hours stuck on conference call and she had nothing more to show for it than a small headache and a slightly more appeased Secretary of the Navy. As she walked down the stairs and into the bullpen she was happy to note that Gibbs was the only member of his team in the squad room. He looked up as she walked over to him.

"Where is everyone?" She asked looking around.

"The lab. Gossiping."

She laughed and rolled her eyes at the face he made when he said it, somewhere between a grimace and smirk; like he didn't approve of it, but still found it funny. "Hmm, wonder what they would have to gossip about?"

He raised an eyebrow at her mocking tone.

"Okay, maybe it isn't _that _big of a mystery." She said smiling brightly.

He had long since decided he loved it when she smiled, and that he would do anything to get her to.

"Well we should probably go sneak up on them….." Jen suggested, her playful side coming back. The very first casualty of a tough case was always her playful side.

"We could do that or, we could stay here."

She smiled again. "Well, that depends. Are you planning on continuing what was happening in my office yesterday?"

"In the middle of the bullpen, Jen?" Gibbs asked; being the voice of reason for once.

"Fine. Suit yourself." She turned and, just like she knew he would, he stopped her by grabbing her waist and turning her back to him.

-0-0-0-0-

McGee was huffing and puffing by the time he had done his job and gotten the woman to lock up. She had been a handful, but he still completed his task. In the elevator he wiped the back of his hand across his sweaty forehead and waited for the doors to open as he reached the floor to the squad room. As the doors opened and he made to step out, he stopped chalk white faced and pressed the down button repeatedly and furiously until the doors closed and he could breathe again.

When he reached the requested floor he all but ran from the elevator and into the lab. Four pairs of questioning eyes turned to him and all he could sputter out was.

"They- they were making out!"

He breathed slowly and calmly. First an uncooperative murderer, and now his bosses were making out. Today was especially awkward.

Smiles filled the others' faces as they clamored to the stairs. Pulling McGee with them. If they were going to get to see this they had to be sneaky, and the loud beep of an elevator was not sneaky.

-0-0-0-0-

As she drew back from the languid kiss she felt eyes on her, and they weren't Jethro's. Jenny spun around and sure enough Five sets of eyes were watching them over the edge of the stair's landing.

One pair obviously did not want to be there, but couldn't bring themselves to look away. Must be McGee.

The ones next to his were rimmed with dark make-up and were bright and smiling. Of course, Abby.

The next ones were similar to her own, only a little bit bluer. Andrea.

The next set was watching with a perverted glint. Obviously, DiNozzo.

And the last ones were dark and less noticeable than the others, from years of spying. Ziva.

Jen jumped away from Gibbs who set his glare on the spying five. "We can see you."

Tim and Ziva had the good graces to look at least a little bit ashamed of being caught peeping, while Andrea, Abby and Tony just smirked. They hurried past them and to their respective desks to gather their stuff.

"We're going for drinks, we'll just leave you two… umm here." Tony said as he threw a thumb gesture over his shoulder.

Jenny just waited hands on her hips for them all to gather their things before turning back to Gibbs. "That was embarrassing." She laughed.

He reached up and stroked her cheek. All but one was already in the lift.

"Why don't you two just get a room?" Andrea threw over her shoulder at the kissing pair.

Once the elevator doors closed Jen leaned in and made sure to brush her lips against his ear as she spoke. "Mine is always free."

A Cheshire cat grin spread over Gibbs' face and he let her lead him into the elevator. Being in her house; in her bed would be nice…… If they could make it that far

**Really Really Jibbs heavy… but that's what you wanted right? Review and let me know if an Epilogue is needed!**


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